


I Got Hacked

by Leia_of_the_Meadows



Series: I Got a Hacker AU [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Dupain-Cheng's are a family of hackers, F/M, Hacker AU, Lila Rossi Lies, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Makes Better Friends, Sassy Sabrina Raincomprix, Smart Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, bad kitty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:34:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24439786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leia_of_the_Meadows/pseuds/Leia_of_the_Meadows
Summary: ATTENTION! You're being hacked. Hey there, I'm Marinette, you may know me as Ladybug. But who you might not know me as is Bad Kitty.You see, my parents, along with their best friend Nadja, used to be the best hacker team in all of Paris. But my parents gave it all up when they had me. (Well, not all, they taught me how to hack like the best of them. I could crack passwords before I could say the alphabet and I could code before I could subtract.)Before Lila came along, I had no time to hack. I was too busy with my friends and commitments. Now that Liar-la has made almost everyone forget me, I have time to assemble my own hacker team and make an even bigger difference. But with all my friends gone, who am I to turn to?Well, maybe it's time to turn to new friends......or old enemies.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Sabrina Raincomprix, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug's Parents, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain
Series: I Got a Hacker AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765048
Comments: 26
Kudos: 354





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HEY!! READ THIS!!
> 
> This story is told by me (Marinette), so it will be in first person.
> 
> Lila has made a lot of people doubt me and cause them to hang out with her more, because they don't want to 'upset Lila' or cause me to 'do something I will regret.' They don't outright hate me, they just think I'm being petty and jealous, but 'I'll come around soon.' Adrien wants to stick up for me, but his father has threatened to pull him out of school if he gets into any trouble.

I yawned as I hopped down the stairs to the kitchen. "Morning, Sweet Chips." Maman called as she flipped her special, Saturday Morning Pancakes.

  
I smiled when I heard the familiar nickname. Maman had been calling me that since before I could remember. To outsiders it might sound a little odd, but not suspicious. But I knew the real meaning behind it. You see, what most people don't know about my family is, we're hackers. Not the bad kind which are known as crackers, a lot of people mistake hackers for crackers. My parents were hacktivists, they used their skills to illegally help the less fortunate. My parents had a hacking team; Maman was the offensive hacker who hacked into different databases, Papa was the defensive hacker who covered Maman's back and made sure no one could trace it back to them, and Nadja Chamack, the leader who told them who and what to hack. They called themselves, the White Hacklets **(I know, horrible name, but that's what they picked)** They started with trivial things, like erasing their debts and getting rid of traffic tickets. Soon they were emptying the bank accounts of bad people and separating the money into the accounts of the people they had wronged or their families.

  
I jogged over to the counter and sat down, "Morning, Motherboard." It was kind of a ritual to, every morning, call Maman; Motherboard, when she called me Sweet Chips. I grabbed the glass of milk Maman always sets out for me and took a sip.

  
Microseconds later, Papa barged into the kitchen covered in flour, causing me to spill my milk down the front of my pajama shirt. "Good morning." Papa called, then proceeded to kiss Maman's forehead while stealing a pancake.

  
While Maman gave Papa him the Disapproving Mom Look ™ and wiped the flour off, I asked, "Flour delivery day?"

  
Papa looked down at his flour covered self and grinned. "You could say that." Then he shoved the pancake he stole into his mouth.

  
Maman glared up at Papa and told him, "If you want another one you better go shower, before the bakery opens." He grinned and dashed down the hall, leaving me and Maman in giggles. Maman turned to me and said, "You should probably go and shower too."

  
"Why?!" I questioned. Maman gestured to me and I looked down. My face heated when I realized that milk stained the front of my tank top. I hurriedly stood up, snatched a pancake, and darted up the stairs. Maman's threats of no more pancakes followed me up to my bathroom.

* * *

  
I hummed a nameless tune as I stepped out of the shower and started to dry myself off. Loud crashes sounded from a distance and I groaned. Hawkmoth had the worst timing ever. But then I smirked when I realized what opportunity Hawkmoth laid at my feet. I quickly wrapped myself in my pink bathrobe and darted to my computer.

  
Tikki flew up and asked, "What are you doing, Marinette?! There's an akuma!"

  
"I know." I reassured Tikki as I hacked into the security feed around the akuma.

  
“You need to transform!” Tikki urged.

  
“I will. As soon as I’m done hijacking a security camera with audio.” I mumbled.

  
“Marinette, not again.” Tikki complained. “You need to stop doing this.” By ‘this,’ Tikki referred to my habit of recording funny interactions between me and Chat Noir. Then posting the funniest ones on the Ladyblog.

  
“It’s fun.” I argued. “And the only way I can really use make hacking skills.”

  
“You could use them for good.” Tikki zipped around my head. “Marinette, you have an incredible talent for this hacking, but instead of using it for good. You use it to embarrass Chat and sometimes yourself.”

  
I sighed and glanced up at Tikki, “I know.” I soon, found the perfect camera and forwarded the feed recording to my storage. I pushed myself away from my desk and called out, "Tikki, spots on!"

  
A pinkish-red light engulfed me as I turned into the spotted super heroine, Ladybug. I swiftly climbed up to my balcony and swung my yo-yo at a building, before taking off towards the commotion. I relished in the feeling of the wind whipping through my now, magically dried hair and grinned as I swung above the rooftops.

  
The sounds of crashing grew louder, and I groaned as Gigantitian came into view. I landed on the rooftop in range of the camera I scouted earlier and waited for Chat to land next to me. I fought the urge to glance over at the camera I hijacked.

  
Sure enough, a few microseconds later Chat landed next to me with his signature grin. That grin fell into a grimace when he noticed Gigantitian rampaging again. "What is this, the seventh time Hawkmoth akumatized baby August?"

  
“Probably.” I muttered before groaning, "And, Hawkmoth has the worst timing." Then I played with one of my pigtails. "Luckily, the miraculous magic makes my hair dry. So, I don't have to fight with wet hair."

  
Chat stiffened. "Were... um... were you taking a shower?"

  
I blew my bangs out of my eyes, "Yep."

  
Chat's face turned as red as my suit, "So... i-if... you were to say... um... detransform before you made it home... you... ah... would be... would be...?"

  
I turned to face Chat, "Get your head out of the gutter, Chat. We have an akuma to deal with." I swung my yo-yo out and latched it onto a chimney a street over. Smirking over my shoulder at Chat, I said, "Don't worry, I threw on a bathrobe." Then I swung away, but not before Chat let out a whine and covered his beet red cheeks.

* * *

  
Yawning, I stretched as I rubbed my eyes and glanced over at the clock above me desk. It read; 2:16 am. I worked at editing the video of Chat and mine's conversation before defeating Gigantitian. I prepared to upload it to the Ladyblog when I hesitated. Alya ignored me lately in favor of spending more time with 'poor Lila.' She hasn't texted me in weeks and the only time she talked to me was to ask for a pencil. Alya wasn't mean to me, but she wasn't really acting like my friend anymore if she could just abandon me for the next shinny thing that walked in. Did I really want to post this on the Ladyblog to help boost her popularity? It may be petty, but I honestly, didn't care.

  
I realized that even with my Ladybug duties I had more time now than before I got the Ladybug miraculous. I did so much stuff for my 'friends' that I didn't have time for much else. But now, I have a lot of free time and can finally do what I've always dreamed of; make a difference, like Tikki bugged me about earlier.

  
It was time to put together my own hacking team.


	2. Chapter 2

I glanced around the school courtyard trying to study my classmates as inconspicuously as possible. I sat on one of the benches and pretended to sketch. For once, I arrived at school early, mostly because I was on a mission and failure is not an option.

  
As Juleka and Rose walked past me, and I sized them up. Rose was too nice for my team even _if_ she did know how to hack. Juleka was too shy, hacking took a lot of confidence. Rose fell for Lila's lies easily and I didn't know where Juleka stood. Neither of them really fits my team.

  
I moved on to Max who, at first glance, would seem like the perfect fit for my team with his computer and tech background. But I looked closer and found that, while he was good with tech, he lacked basic reasoning. He believed every word that fell from Lila's mouth even when it contradicted the laws of physics, like believing that a _napkin_ could gouge out his eyes _behind his freakin glasses!_

  
I sighed and continued to search for the perfect teammates. I passed over Ivan, Mylene, Nino, Alix, Kim, and Nathaniel. They all fell for Lila's lies too easily and I couldn't have that on my hacking team. The same goes for Alya and Adrien who had yet to arrive.

  
Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I peered over my fingers to see Chloe and Sabrina make their entrance. I prepared to skip over them because Chloe acted like Malware and a bully. But as I studied her for longer, I realized that I needed someone with her drive, political knowledge, and ruthless attitude. If I got Chloe on my team, I knew she wouldn't betray me, because I could get her to the top with all the blackmail knowledge I stored up. Then you have Sabrina who's smart and won't rat Chloe out. She would also make a great defensive hacker.

  
I grinned; I finally found the perfect team. Then my grin dimmed when I realized that my perfect team consisted of _Chloe_ and her spyware. I sunk down on the bench as I thought of how well _that_ conversation would go. 'Hey Chloe? Yes, it is the girl you hate and bully relentlessly. But I wanted to ask you to join my team of illegal hacktivists to make Paris a better place. No? Okay. Wait! Don't call the police!'

  
I shook my internal freak out off as I thought of ways to ask Chloe to join without ending up rotting behind bars for all eternity.

* * *

  
I sucked in a ragged breath as my fist hovered over the door to Chloe's room. This could either be the best day of my life or the worst. "Just get it over with." I commanded myself. I exhaled and knocked on the wooden door.

  
I stumbled back as the wooden door open to reveal Chloe staring at me with her signature, I'm-better-than-you glare. "What are you doing here, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloe sneered. "Did you get lost on your way to that garbage dump you call a house?"

  
Sighing, I stood up strait and pulled on my business face. Chloe took a cautious step back and wore a confused expression. "I have a proposition for you." I told her.

  
"What kind of proposition?" Chloe asked. I could tell that my no-nonsense attitude threw her for a loop. I acted the opposite of the normal bubbly, scatterbrained self that I showed to everyone at school.

  
My gaze darted around the hotel hallway before landing back on Chloe, "Not here. Too many ears." I gestured behind her. "May I?"

  
Chloe rapidly blinked before jerking around and saying, "Ah, sure." She eyed me warily as I walked in behind her. I coughed as my nose was flooded with a heavy perfume that smelled of, honey?

  
Sabrina walked into the entry room where Chloe and I stood. She cocked her head at me before asking, "Marinette? What are you doing here?" Her gaze darted between Chloe and me.

  
"Okay. What is your proposition?" Chloe demanded as her normal attitude returned, and she ignored Sabrina. She placed her hands on her hips as she glared at me.

  
I got right to the point, "I'm putting together a team to make Paris a better place and you two," I gestured between Chloe and Sabrina, "Are the perfect candidates."

  
"Why?" Chloe demanded. "Isn't Cesaire your best friend?"

  
I lost some of my nerve as Chloe reminded me of Alya, but I tried to shake it off, "She hasn't acted like my best friend in a while."

  
"Lila Rossi?" Chloe interrupted. When I nodded her eyes flashed with pity, but only for a second. When I looked back it was gone; maybe I imagined it.

  
"You two are the only ones who aren't under her spell." I continued.

  
"So, that's the real reason you want us to be a part of your 'team,' because no one else isn't under Lila's spell." Chloe crossed her arms.

  
"What is this 'team' you’re putting together?" Sabrina asked.

  
I answered Sabrina's question first, "The team I'm putting together is a group of three people at minimum. We're going to make Paris a better place."

  
"How?" Sabrina asked. "You're being very vague."

  
My gaze darted to the floor, "Well, it's not _exactly_ legal."

  
Chloe perked up at that and looked intrigued, "I knew you weren't the goody-two-shoes you pretend to be."

  
"What do you mean?" Sabrina asked warily.

  
I sighed, "We might want to sit down. This could take a while."

  
I looked at the curiosity burning in Chloe's eyes as she led me towards her dusky pink couch. Chloe and Sabrina sat across from me and Chloe crossed her arms, "What's going on Dupain-Cheng?"

  
I exhaled and blurted out, "I'm a hacker."

  
Chloe sat up straighter, "What!? You?" I nodded. "B-but your Marinette! The infuriatingly kind person that _everyone_ just loves. H-how?" Sabrina looked curious too.

  
I gave them a nervous smile, "My parents are hackers. I grew up with hacking in my circuits."

  
"Circuits?" Chloe questioned.

  
Chuckling, I rubbed the back of my neck, "My vocabulary may also be a little different than your average, teenage girl."

  
"Anyway, to answer Chloe's earlier question of why you two; you are perfect for my mission. Chloe," I turned to face the aforementioned girl, "You are ruthless, you know politics, and, most importantly, you know how to use them for your own gain. If the team is to make a significant difference in Paris, we need a fearless leader."

  
"My role is the offensive hacker," I gestured to myself, "I'm the one who actually does the digging up dirt. I'm also the kindness to Chloe's ruthlessness and I will stop her from being too ruthless -if she agrees to join."

  
"Sabrina," I gestured to the girl, "You would be the defensive hacker. You are a quick study and I would teach you how to do it. Also, your dad is a cop and you could keep Chloe and me from taking things too far. You'll probably also need to mediate if Chloe and I get into a fight."

  
Silence covered the room, "Well?" I asked as my fingers twitched against my thighs.

  
Chloe thought for a minute before asking, "What kind of things would we be doing to 'make Paris a better place?'"

  
"Um," I thought for a second before saying, "Well, Paris politicians have done nothing to help Ladybug and Chat Noir with the akuma problems. People are becoming careless because the Miraculous Cure physically fixes everything in the end. But the memories never go away. And what if, one day Hawkmoth kills Ladybug. No one to fix the damage anymore. So, that would be the first problem we address. I'm not that good at politics with is why I need Chloe to tell me who to target."

  
"I'm in." Chloe said. "But if this is some prank or nasty trick-"

  
"You will skin me alive and then hang in the school courtyard as a warning to others." I finished for Chloe.

  
Chloe nodded and Sabrina said, "If Chloe's in, I'm in."

  
"Great!" I exclaimed. "Let's save Paris."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Malware - Stands for malicious software. It simply refers to any kind of a malicious program or software, designed to damage or hack its target.
> 
> Spyware - A specific type of malware designed to spy, monitor, and potentially steal data from the target.
> 
> Circuit - A circuit is a path that electricity flows along. It starts at a power source, like a battery, and flows through a wire to a light bulb or other object and back to other side of the power source.


	3. Chapter 3

After Chloe and Sabrina agreed to join, we set up our base of operations in Chloe’s suite. I sat with my high-tech computer in my lap as I hacked into the hotel’s security feed. I picked the hidden cameras in Chloe’s room and deleted any video evidence of me in Chloe’s room.

  
“There.” I said. “I’ve deleted any video of me at the hotel and put in on a loop of Sabrina doing your nails.”

  
“Wait.” Chloe sat up straighter. “Are you telling me that Daddy hid cameras all over my room.” Her gaze darted around the room as she crossed her arms. “Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!”

  
“Don’t worry, I have complete control over your cameras now.” I told Chloe.

  
“Well that’s reassuring.” Chloe rolled her eyes.

  
I rolled my eyes back. Chloe and I weren’t best friends, but for right now we tolerated each other. “What should we do for our first mission? I was thinking helping with the akuma problem?” I asked.

  
Chloe paused before saying, “Daddy hasn’t talked about helping Ladybug and Chat Noir in their fight with Hawkmoth. I think we should.” Chloe said and I couldn’t help but know that I chose right when I picked Chloe. She was a leader; she just needed a mission that fit her skills.

  
“The police should help Ladybug and Chat Noir in their investigation of Hawkmoth.” Sabrina added. “My dad often complains that the police are doing nothing about the Hawkmoth situation. Other than setting up barricades that literally do nothing.”

  
“That’s genius.” Chloe said and Sabrina flushed at the praise.

  
I thought for a second, “Why stop at helping with investigating?” I grinned as a plan started forming. “What if we instated Akuma Protocols? Which is basically a bunch of protocols for akumas that we write up.”

  
Sabrina nodded and Chloe grinned that grin she used to get right before she enacted some evil plan that ended with me humiliated. I’m only glad I’m on the other side of the receiving end of that grin. “Let’s write those protocols!” She exclaimed.

> _ Akuma Protocols _
> 
>   1. _District Leaders will be assigned to everyone. They will guide you to where you are most needed. (ex. Calming down tourists and getting them to safety)_
>   2. _If you are a First Responder (ex. Firemen, police, EMTs, etc.) you need to register with your District Leader for Emergency Akuma Service._
>   3. _If you are a therapist, you must register with your District Leader for Akuma Therapy._
>   4. _After being akumatized you must take mandatory therapy for a week after de-akumazation._
>   5. _When you see an akuma run the other way. Head to your District Leader’s station for assignment._
>   6. _All schools will be physiologically evaluated for potential akuma threats._
>   7. _Anyone caught running towards an akuma attack will be arrested for their own safety until the akuma has been cleansed._
>   8. _No one can attempt find out the superheroes’ secret identities or else they will be arrested._
>   9. _Etc…_
> 


“There.” I said with a grin as I held up the Akuma Protocols paper. “It’s done.”

  
Chloe sighed and laid back on her couch, “Finally.” She groaned as she placed a pillow over her face to cover up her smile.

  
Sabrina frowned, “Great. But how are we going to enact them?” Chloe sat up and glanced over at me with a frown.

  
I pulled my computer onto my lap. “We’re not.” I smirked and glanced up at Chloe. “Chloe’s dad is.”

  
“What?” Chloe questioned.

  
“I’ve been gathering blackmail material on your family since the first day you threw my sketch book in the trashcan back in primary school.” I said nonchalantly.

  
“What!!” Chloe exclaimed.

  
“I didn’t use it.” I quickly defended myself. “Well, I’m going to use it now.” I amended and Chloe glared at me. “Just on your father. Don’t get your circuits in a twist. Apparently, he’s been extorting money from the city for years, inflating the votes, blackmailing, and bribing people to do his bidding, and abusing his power as mayor.”

  
Chloe’s jaw dropped, “I didn’t know.” She whispered as her gaze dropped to the floor. Sabrina rubbed Chloe’s back sympathetically, but Chloe just waved her off. “That’s not important right now, what is, is figuring out how to use the blackmail effectively _without_ getting sent to jail.”

  
I paused for a second, “We can’t do it over a computer, because he’ll just turn it off or think it’s prank.”

  
“Then let’s do it in person.” Sabrina suggested.

  
I smirked at the smart girl, “I like the way you think. But I’ll need a name and disguise.”

  
“What name did your parents use?” Chloe asked.

  
I groaned, “The _White Hacklets._ ” Everyone flinched at the horrible name.

  
“No. Just no.” Chloe stated. “Is there any _other_ name you can think of?” I hesitated and Chloe noticed, “What is it?”

  
“Well,” I started, “There is the name I used when I would hack into the Ladyblog to upload funny Ladybug and Chat Noir videos. Um,” I glanced around before dropping my gaze to Chloe’s white tiled floor. “Bad_Kitty/\/\4r1.”

  
“Bad Kitty?” Chloe laughed.

  
“What’s the /\/\4r1?” Sabrina asked.

  
I ignored Chloe’s fit of laughter and answered Sabrina, “It’s L337 speak for Mari. My full name in L337 is /\/\4r1|\|3773.”

  
“What’s Leet?” Sabrina asked.

  
“L337 or leetspeak is basically hacker speak.” I explained and Sabrina nodded in understanding.

  
“You know,” Chloe paused. “Bad Kitty isn’t worse than White Hacklets and it couldn’t be traced back to us. Maybe we should go with it.”

  
“Then it’s a plan,” I smirked. “We go tonight.”

* * *

  
“And remember, if anyone finds out you are fired.” Andre threatened his assistant as he strode down the hall of Paris’s City Hall. The day seemed to stretch on forever. Lucky for him, it was almost over. He just needed to grab a few things from his office and make sure it stayed secure. Andre wouldn’t want anyone finding out any of his dirty secrets, which could be used against him next election.

  
Andre pushed open the wooden door to his dark office and shut the door behind him, before flicking the lights on. He held back a startled squawk at the sight before him.  
At Andre’s desk, sat a girl with her black combat boots propped up on the expensive wood. Flipping through various papers he left out, she appeared so relaxed that, for a second, he almost thought she was supposed to be there. The girl wore an oversized black hoodie with the hood pulled up to display cat ears and matching, oversized sunglasses that covered half her face. Pale pink bangs covered her forehead, so the only part of her face he could see was her smirk.

  
“Hello, Mayor Bourgeois.” The girl said sweetly as she tucked her feet under his desk. She gestured to a chair in front of the desk, “Please, take a seat.”

  
“Who are you? What are you doing here?” Andre demanded. “You know I’m the Mayor and I’ll have you put in jail.”

  
Andre prepared to yell for help when the girl giggled and interrupted him, “There’s no need for that.” He felt taken aback by this girl. Confidence and power practically oozed out of her and she seemed to be unaffected by his threat. “You see, once you hear what I have to offer you. You won’t call for anyone.”

  
Andre scoffed and feigned confidence, “You’re obviously an akuma, why should I listen to you?” Andre swiftly turned on his heel and attempt to storm out.

  
“Extortion,” Andre froze at the girl’s sweet voice. “Inflation of the votes, blackmailing, taking bribes, power abusing.” The girl giggled and Andre swiveled around to find her reading from a sheet of paper. “Wow, that’s a lot of crimes. I wonder what the police would do if I gave them this list along with all of the evidence, I have stacked against you.” He paled and the girl tapped her chin as if deep in thought. Andre heard a jingling noise as she shrugged, and he noticed a black choker with a gold bell on it.

  
“Who are you? What do you want?” Andre asked. “I have money.” The girl pointed to the seat in front of her and he hurried to sit down in it.

  
“Call me, Bad Kitty. And I don’t want your money.” Bad Kitty leaned forward as if to tell him a secret and smirked. “I want to make Paris a better place.” She reclined back, “And you, are too weak-willed to do anything about it.” He went to protest, but she held up a finger, and her sleeve slid down reveal pink, fingerless gloves. “But, that’s just what I need.”

  
Bad Kitty stood up and pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. She slid it across the table and Andre unfolded it, “Akuma Protocols?” He read off the top.

  
Bad Kitty nodded, “Along with enacting those, you will also have the police investigate Hawkmoth. It’s a win-win-win-lose.” Bad Kitty counted off her fingers, “You become the hero who is working to save Paris, the Parisians are safer, some of the pressure is taken off the heroes making it easier for them to defeat akumas, and Hawkmoth’s downfall is closer.” The girl paused before adding as an afterthought, “And you get to stay out of jail.”

  
Andre stumbled for the right words to say, "A-and if I arrest you now before you can release any information you have on me?"

Black Kitty sighed and shook her head, eerily reminiscent of a teacher dealing with the efforts of a sadly retarded pupil. "Andre, Andre, Andre. Do you really think I'm stupid? Or that this is some idiotic comic book where the crusading hero walks into his enemy's lair with no back-up plan other than reliance on the rightness of their cause? I've already set up a half-dozen botnets ready to spam all the evidence to every law enforcement and media agency in France in the next fifteen minutes unless I enter a dead man's switch code that only I know on a spoof website whose address only I know."

Andre's mouth dropped open and Black Kitty smiled; an expression that made the Mayor of Paris break out into a cold sweat and have to fight an instinct to grovel at her feet. "Actually, it's fourteen minutes, thirty seconds now. Chop-chop, Andre. Time's a wasting and I'm not feeling inclined to be sending any codes right now."

"O... Okay! I'll do it!"

"Good boy!" The young woman's tone suggested that the mayor was a particularly stupid dog who had just actually obeyed a simple command for the first time in memory. She slid over a set of printouts. "Here are your instructions. Naturally, as well as the dead man's switch, I have various other... tripwires and panic buttons secreted about. If I'm not convinced that you're cooperating fast enough or wholeheartedly enough, your dear wife will be finding out all about the criminal penalties for workplace bullying and assault... Or maybe your little Princess will finally go to jail for her innumerable crimes?" The cyber-vigilante stood and walked out of the office with a seductive swish to her hips. "I'll be in touch, Andre. Toodles."

After Bad Kitty finished speaking the room plunged into darkness and Andre froze. He sat too afraid to move in fear of her killing him in the dark. Less than a minute later, the lights flickered back on. Andre hurriedly glanced around, but the room looked as if the strange girl never entered in the first place.

  
Andre gasped in relief as his heart pounded loudly in his chest. The adrenaline began to wear off and Andre moved to sit back down in his seat, convinced it was only an akuma induced hallucination. But when he sat down the adrenaline came rushing back as he felt the leftover heat from his chair and saw the paper lying on his desk.  
Andre’s hands shook as he carefully picked up the paper. He knew Bad Kitty left it when he read the title.

  
Akuma Protocols

* * *

Bonus:

I sagged in relief against the ruff brick of an alleyway not far from city hall. I couldn’t believe Mayor Bourgeois listened to me and I didn’t end up in jail. I stared up at the night sky as an adrenaline induced giddiness spread through my body. My mouth stretched as wide as it could go, and I grinned. I grinned for the stars, the moon, the universe to see. A feeling of pride bubbled up inside of me and I let my laughter loose to bounce off the alley walls.

  
“I can’t believe I just did that.” I gasped between laughing fits.

  
“ _That was surprisingly bold of you, Dupain-Cheng._ ” Chloe’s voice flittered through the earpiece I wore in my left ear.

  
I pulled back my cat-eared hood and I tugged off the pale pink wig. Letting my midnight hair fall around my shoulders. “Thanks, Queenie.” I chuckled before reminding her, “No names on the field. You never know when someone’s listening.”

  
“ _Humph._ ” Chloe’s said as I burst into another round of adrenaline induced giggles.

  
“ _No problem, Bad-K_.” Sabrina’s voice called over the line.

  
“See, Queenie. You should take some criminal lessons from Savvy.” I smirked as I tried to stifle my giggles.

  
“ _Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous_.” Chloe exclaimed and I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

  
“ _You did good, Bad-K._ ” Sabrina told me.

  
I shook my head and grinned up at the heavens. “No. We did good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to BenRG for a piece of Bad Kitty's akuma protocol negotiation with Andre.
> 
> (PS: I don't know how to do links)


	4. Chapter 4

My back rested up against the pillows on Chloe’s bed as I propped up my laptop so I could monitor the security cameras better. I popped out my earpiece as Chloe stomped into the room and yanked down the Bad Kitty costume’s hood with a scowl.

  
“How did your talk with Councilor Le Reste of the 10th Arrondissement go?” I wryly asked.

  
“Buzz off, Bad-K.” Chloe snapped. “You know full well how it went.”

  
I glanced up at Chloe, “Yes, I do.” I cocked my head as I studied the blond, still in costume. It had been almost two weeks since I visited Mayor Bourgeois with the Akuma Protocols and we worked non-stop to push them through Paris’s legal system as quickly as we could.

  
Chloe yanked off the pale pink wig and tossed it on the floor as she stalked toward her bed. She plopped down beside Sabrina before tearing off the outer layer of her costume. Leaving Chloe in her normal white, and black striped T-shirt with black jeans. She kicked off the black combat boots and shoved the sunglasses up, before reclining back.

  
“Are you okay, Chloe?” Sabrina asked over the top of her computer. I had been teaching Sabrina defensive hacking and she picked it up like second nature.

  
“Queenie’s fine.” I reassured Sabrina before turning back to my laptop. “Her talk with Councilor Le Reste actually went well. He will be backing up the Protocols. The reason Queenie is glaring holes into my head is because I know what happened the alley _after_ her talk with Le Reste.” I glanced up at Chloe with a smirk and she just scowled back.

  
Sabrina furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, “What?”

  
I chuckled and quickly spun my laptop around to show Sabrina the screen. On it, showed security footage of an alley with Chloe in the Bad Kitty costume. She was grinning like a maniac and doing a fist pump. Then an alley cat that sat on the dumpster next to her suddenly lunged at Chloe’s cat-eared hood.

  
Even though the feed had no audio, I could practically hear Chloe’s shrieks of outrage and Sabrina and I burst into giggles. After she shook off the cat it chased her down the sidewalks and I kept switching the camera feeds to keep watching the show. Chloe darted around pedestrians and trees before turning down an alleyway. With the cat still hot on her heels Chloe leaped into a dumpster to get away from the alley cat.

  
“Little devil.” Chloe muttered as Sabrina and I doubled over in laughter. Two weeks ago, Sabrina wouldn’t have dreamed of laughing like this at Chloe, but I showed her it was okay to laugh, because that’s what best friends do. They tease, joke, and laugh at their best friend, but at the end of the day they’re still best friends.

  
The feed continued to play, and we watched as the alley cat paced in front of the dumpster Chloe hid in. After a few minutes, the cat sat down with its back to the dumpster and Chloe peeked her head out to glare at it. Chloe carefully climbed out of the dumpster so that she stood on-top of it. Then she carefully scampered up the fire escape above it and onto the roof.

  
I stopped the feed and continued to shake with laughter. Chloe scowled and muttered, “It wasn’t _that_ funny.” Then she turned the TV on in an effort to ignore me and Sabrina.

“Yes, it was.” Sabrina gasped between laughter fits.

  
“Maybe we should call you Alley Cat from now on.” I joked as I continued to laugh.

  
“You will not!” Chloe exclaimed. Before she could threaten Sabrina and me the TV host said Mayor Bourgeois’s name and we all tuned into what Nadja was saying.

  
“ _-and he announced a press conference later today in front of City Hall. Everyone is wondering what it will be about-_ ”

  
After Nadja finished speaking we tune back out and I grinned, “It must be because of the Akuma Protocols.”

  
Sabrina began to hyperventilate, “Wow, it’s all hitting me right now. We really did it?”

  
“Yes. We did.” Chloe grinned and burst into nervous chuckles.

  
“We did.” I echoed, satisfied.

* * *

  
I stood next to my parents in crowd outside of city hall. Reporters flocked to the front of the crowd where a podium for Mayor Bourgeois was set up. Soon he walked up to it with Chloe behind him.

  
Mayor Bourgeois cleared his throat before beginning his speech. “Hello everyone. Thank you for coming out today. I have an especially important announcement to make, regarding the current akuma situation. Starting this week, we are going to be implementing some akuma protocols, to help everyone deal with this situation we’re facing.”

  
The noise of the crowd increased as people questioned what Mayor Bourgeois said. “Everyone! Everyone! Please settle down! I’ll explain what I mean!” Mayor Bourgeois tried to calm the crowd before continuing. “I’ll read off the Protocols, one by one. Number one: District Leaders will be assigned to everyone. They will guide you to where-”

  
I tuned Mayor Bourgeois out, since I already knew what all the protocols were. It was amusing to watch people’s response to the different protocols. Especially the reporters when he told them, anyone caught running towards an akuma attack will be arrested and that they couldn’t attempt find out the superheroes’ identities.

  
I started listening again after Mayor Bourgeois opened the floor for questions. He selected Nadja Chamack for the first question, “Can you please elaborate on protocol six? What do you mean by, schools will be physiologically evaluated for akuma threats? Why this protocol?”

  
“Well, um…. You see.” Mayor Bourgeois stumbled for an explanation. It was hard for him since he didn’t actual write the Protocols.

  
Chloe stepped up and slightly pushed her dad to the side to address the question. “You see Madam Chamack, schools are a breeding ground for raw negative emotions. The kind Hawkmoth loves to use. Statistically, 60% of akuma’s are kids. And 84% of those kids were teens.” **(Yes, I did calculate all this out if you were wondering)**

  
“Now, it’s not their fault. You see, the reason behind the high number of akumatizations for kids, is simply because of hormones and not much real-world experience. That, and the fact that during high school most teens are trying to figure out who they are and are overly sensitive to judgement.” Chloe explained. Everyone who knew her looked downright shocked at her words. Not because of what she was saying, but because of who was saying them.

  
Chloe just ignored them and continued explaining, “Like if a kid got yelled at one of their peers, that kid would probably get really angry and upset. But an adult’s peers yelled the exact same things to the adult, they probably wouldn’t get as angry, do to years of practice and experience.” Chloe then paused before adding, “Plus, a lot of high schools have very toxic environments.”

  
A hush fell over the crowd as Chloe finished, no one probably, ever expected Chloe Bourgeois to say anything like that. Alya was first to regain her voice and shout, “But you’re a bully? Why are you saying these things?”

  
Chloe just raised an eyebrow and asked, “Miss. Cesaire, how old are you?”

  
Alya rolled her eyes, “Fifteen.”

  
Chloe nodded and said, “Thank you for further proving my case.”

  
“What!?” Alya exclaimed.

  
Chloe elaborated, “Your question was very rude, and emotion fueled, because of our history. An adult _might_ say the same thing, but most adults know how to keep their emotions in check over trivial comments like that.”

  
Chloe sighed, “I know I wasn’t the… best. But I’ve made strides to change that. Starting with me signing up to be a District Leader.” The crowd came alive and started shouting at her, but she said, “No further questions.” Then she stepped back for her father to take the podium.

  
I grinned proudly up at Chloe. She came a long way from the spoiled, bratty girl she once was and, for the first time, I felt proud to be friends with Chloe Bourgeois.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't mess with Chloe. Or else sassy Sabrina will show up and demolish everyone in her way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you @Lila for giving me a line for Lila

I strode down the school hallways towards my first class of the day. I was early for once, mainly because Chloe wouldn’t stop spamming my phone with wake-up texts. I never thought I’d see the day when me and Chloe were friends. It felt like just yesterday I knocked on Chloe’s door for the first time. When, in reality, it was three weeks ago. This past week had been crazy with people putting the protocols into action. Chloe’s statement of becoming a District Leader met with mixed reactions.

  
As I neared my classroom, yelling burst out from it and I rolled my eyes as the sound of those _mixed reactions_ echoing off hallway walls. After Chloe’s statement last week, arguments were now a daily part of my classroom life. By now, they mostly died down, and the only ones still arguing were Alya and anyone she managed to drag in with her. Though, Lila usually started the arguments with some well-placed, back-handed comments.

  
I arrived, all to soon, at the classroom where the wood door did nothing to muffle the yelling match inside. Some other students gave me pitying looks as they passed by me in the hall and I gave them a grimace in return.

  
Finally, I pushed open the door as quietly as I could and peeked in. Alya stood next to my seat with her arms crossed as she glared down at Chloe who sat in her normal spot. Her gaze never left her phone as she pretended that she couldn’t care less about whatever nonsense Alya yelled today. What surprised me was Sabrina standing next to Chloe yelling back at Alya.

  
“At least Chloe’s trying to be better!” Sabrina burst out, before she smirked as she crossed her arms. “To bad I can’t say the same about you.” Everyone stared at Sabrina as if she just grew a second head, including Chloe whose head shot up to stare at Sabrina.

  
I just smirked and entered the classroom. My lessons with Sabrina weren’t just about hacking. I taught her how to deliver the sassy insults, all while making her opponent sound like a fool. But Sabrina had never been angry enough to actually do it. Until now. My eyes lit up as I eagerly awaited the chaos Sabrina would cause. Because her earlier comment, was nothing compared to what else I taught her.

  
“B-bu wh-wha?” Alya stuttered as her arms dropped to her sides.

  
“Oh, how eloquent.” Sabrina rolled her eyes, “At least you’re trying to be less stupid today though. I’m sorry to tell you this but…” Sabrina paused to twist her expression into one of mock sympathy, “It’s not working.”

  
Alya’s hands clenched into fists, “Are you calling me stupid!?”

  
“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” Sabrina raised an eyebrow, “I really thought you already knew.”

  
“Burn!” Kim called from his seat and Alya shot him a glare. The class had mostly been on Alya’s side when the arguments started, (with the exception of Rose and Adrien who were neutral) But by the end of the week everyone was exhausted by all the fighting and jumped aboard Ship Neutral.

  
“When did you get so sarcastic? Did Chloe teach you? She probably had nothing else to do so she decided to humor her servant.” Alya spat as her face started to resemble my Ladybug suit.

  
“Um Alya?” Nino tried to interrupt as he fiddled with his cap.

  
“It’s okay Nino.” Sabrina reassured, “I’m well aware that sarcasm falls out of my mouth, just like stupidity falls out of Alya’s.”

I could hear Alya grinding her teeth microseconds before she exploded, “At least I’m not a weak, quiet, lap b*t$h!”

  
Everyone gasped and Chloe looked at Sabrina with concern as she dropped her head to the floor, “Alya!” Adrien exclaimed as he stood. “That’s enough.” I slid into my and Alya's desk as I tried to conceal my smirk.

  
Alya opened her mouth as if to say something before Sabrina interrupted, “Never,” She growled as she tilted her head up to sneer at Alya, “Mistake my silence as weakness.” Then she narrowed her eyes as her mouth rose into a sharp smirk. “Because, no one plans a murder out loud.” Sabrina tilted her head questioningly, “Now, do they?”

  
Pride filled my chest as everyone moved away from the terrifying girl. Even Chloe scooted towards the other end of her desk with a confused expression. My pupil learned well, and I shot her a small grin. Sabrina grinned back and everyone scurried farther away from her. My grin seemed to catch Chloe’s eyes and realization sparked in them, before being replaced by amusement.

  
Alya scampered to her seat with a fearful look on her face and Adrien sat back down, never taking his eyes off Sabrina. Everyone stayed silent as a heavy tension filled the room and threatened to suffocate everyone who wasn’t friends with Sabrina.

  
Soon, Ms. Bustier strode into the room and Sabrina took her seat. As Ms. Bustier went to stand behind her desk, she smiled, “I’m glad to see you all decided to stop your silly arguments.”

  
Everyone’s eyes darted to Sabrina who grinned at their teacher, “Yep.” She popped the ‘p’ at the end as everyone flinched when she spoke.

  
“I’m glad to hea-” The loud blaring of the newly installed Akuma Alarm cut off the rest of Ms. Bustier’s sentence. This was the first akuma attack since the press conference.

  
Alya leaped from her seat with her expression turning eager and her phone clutched in her hand. The rest of the class followed her lead and shot to their feet as Alya made a bee line for the door. But Chloe got there first, and she stood tall with her arms crossed in front of her. “Get out of my way!” Alya shouted at the blond, who didn’t even flinch.

  
“Miss Cesaire I am the District Leader for your school, and you will do as I say.” Chloe glared at Alya.

  
Alya opened her mouth to speak when Sabrina came up behind her and laid her hand on Alya’s shoulder. “You should listen to Chloe.” She flinched as Sabrina spoke, before backing down.

  
Chloe nodded before going into leader mode, “Rose, Juleka, Mylene, and Ivan. I need you four to go evacuate the classrooms and have everyone move to the ground floor. Ms. Bustier will help too.” Those five nodded before rushing to accomplish the task given to them.

  
“Max. I want you monitoring the akuma feeds. Find out where the akuma is, what its power is, and who it is. Then alert me to any changes.” He pulled out his computer and got to work.

  
“Kim, Alix. You two are my runners. Sabrina will give you communicators and you are always to stay in contact with her. She will direct you to where I need you to go.” Both glanced at Sabrina nervously before doing what Chloe told them.

  
“Lila, Nathanial, Nino. I need you three on the ground floor keeping everyone calm and safe until Miraculous Ladybug is cast.” Nathanial and Nino rushed to do what they were told, but Lila hesitated.

  
“Shouldn’t Adrien be with us, where it’s safe? I’m sure Mr. Agreste would want it that way.” Lila ‘innocently’ asked. I gritted my teeth as Lila’s fake, innocent tone grated on my nerves. Adrien also appeared to be gritting his teeth to keep from flinching.

  
“No.” Chloe glared at Lila who shrunk back in her seat. “Adrien has another important task to do that is plenty safe. Now get out and do _your_ job Lila Rossi.” Chloe commanded.

"I don't take orders from you, Queen Wannabee." Lila scoffed.

Chloe glared at Lila. "Today you do." Lila looked ready to continue arguing when Sabrina came up behind Chloe and grinned. Then her eyes widened and she scurried out the door, but not before shooting Chloe a glare.

  
I squirmed in my seat as Chloe continued with her assignments. I needed to get out there and fight the akuma. I just hoped that whatever job Chloe would give me is easy to sneak away from.

  
“Alya, Adrien, Marinette. You three will comb the bathrooms and janitors’ closets looking for any stragglers or ditchers.” I sighed in relief as I realized that would be easy to sneak away from. “And remember, anyone caught running towards an akuma will be arrested for their own safety.” Chloe pointedly stared at Alya.

  
“Got it!” Adrien exclaimed before rushing out the door. I swiftly dashed out afterwards as I shot Chloe an encouraging grin. Alya was on my heals and we stopped in the hallway just for Adrien to quickly call out, “Let’s split up!” No one needed any further encouragement and we all darted in opposite directions.

* * *

  
The akuma was a tough one. The woman’s boss fired from her job and she was a single mother with two kids to provide for. Her powers consisted of firing other people. She would shoot pink slips at people and fire them from things like, riding a bike, selling ice cream, and basically anything she could think of. At one point, Chat Noir took a hit for me and was fired from being Ladybug. But since he wasn’t Ladybug it didn’t affect him. Until she hit him again and fired him from being Chat Noir. Then I shoved him into a random room as he detransformed and ran to go grab another miraculous for him. After that, we defeated the akuma quickly because we picked at the loopholes in her wording.

  
My hair stung my face as I practically flew over the city rooftops. The adrenaline rush from the akuma battle began to fade and left me exhausted. As I neared College Francoise Dupont, I spotted an open window on the second floor. The beeping of my miraculous filled my ears as I swung for the window and landed in the classroom just as my transformation fell.

  
“Marinette!?” I froze at the strangled question. Then I slowly raised my gaze to meet Chloe’s stunned icy stare.

  
“Hi hey. Chloe. So um, what’s up?” I stuttered out as I shifted from foot to foot with a nervous smile.

  
Tikki floated up by my ear and said, “It could have been worse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...
> 
> Eventually.


End file.
